Blessed is He Who is Not Offended Because of Me

by Phil Lapp

Jesus is a Rock. To some He is a rock of offense, which causes them to stumble. To others, He becomes the cornerstone of their life.

As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be disappointed.” Romans 9:33

Have you ever been disappointed with Jesus?

Many people all over the world are stumbling over this Rock of disappointment in God. They are disappointed because He hasn’t met their expectations of Him. I have come to believe that God intentionally disappoints us to test us whether we will stumble and fall over Him or will build our life on Him, allowing Him to become the Rock of our life.

When digging footings for a building, in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, we often encounter large areas of bedrock. These are rocks so large they are a part of the mountain and there is no digging them out or going around them. So we build on them, using them as a part of the foundation. We simply drill down into the rock and fasten the concrete footings directly to the rock.

Jesus Christ is a Very Large Rock. So large you can’t dig around Him or dig Him out of your life. He is there filling your whole life. He spreads himself underneath you and bars you from going any further until you do something about Him in your life. You must make a choice. What will you do with Jesus?

Many people cry out to God daily to meet their needs. Both Spiritual needs; ie..mercy, grace, love, joy, peace, goodness, faith, and a nice Church, etc and physical needs such as: money, food, health, wealth, good days ( meaning everything is going their way today ), etc. But when Jesus appears in the midst of their day as a Large ROCK that bars them from accomplishing their plans today….They are disappointed, offended and stumble in their faith in Him. Immediately they begin to question whether God loves them and wonder why He would allow this to happen.

Many turn away from Him, and go back down to the plains, where the sandy soils of their flesh seems like a much easier way of building their thought patterns, words, and habits. Here they can get their own way and do their own will without the constant obstruction of this Large Rock that outcrops the Mountain side so often. What little rocks they encounter they can dig up and cast out of their way.

My dear friend; Have you been disappointed with Jesus’ way of loving you? The way He guides your day? The pain He allows you to live with? The relationships He allows you to experience? The rearranging of your schedule? The lack or loss of money He allows you to experience, etc…

Has His ministry in your life left you wondering….Is this the Christ or do I look for another?

It is in this context that Jesus spoke these words to answer John, in Matthew 11:6 and He is still speaking these same words to all who follow Him today; “Blessed is he who is not offended because of me.”